Best Left Unsaid
by angelfromhigh
Summary: Who knew that mixing the dreamless drought potion with a little fire whiskey and preforming a body bind curse on oneself could be so disastrous. What do you do when you don't know the answer? You go to the one who knows it all of course. So preHBP...AU!
1. Strange Mornings

_**Disclamer: Oh I wish I wish I wish I were a fish, then I wouldn't have to worry about being sued.**_

_**Summary:** Who knew that mixing the dreamless drought potion with a little fire whiskey and preforming a body bind curse on oneself could be so disastrous. After a long night, Draco wakes up with a unique gift. Or is it a curse. What do you do when you can't find the answers? You go to the person who knows it all._

Draco couldn't move. Well, technically he could move, he simply did not want to.

His head ached. In fact his entire body ached. There was an incessantringing in his ear and the back of his eyelids were overly illuminated.

The ringing simply could not stop - wait, that was his alarm clock.

It was morning, hence the sun in his eyes.

The ringing continued.

Draco, with all might he could muster grabbed the alarm clock, and very slowly (without lifting his head from his pillow- an art form that took him years of hangovers to muster) through the alarm clear across the room. Yet, apparently his strength was not enough, as it continued to ring, albeit louder now.

He had two options now -get out of bed and turn it off, or let it ring.

The ringing was starting to get to his head. The movement would also get to his head. So Draco did the most sane thing he could think of at the moment. He lifted his head and pulled his pillow out from over him and smothered his ears until the ringing died out and he fell back asleep.

* * *

He woke up an hour later, feeling somewhat better (and quite relieved to realize that the alarm had indeed stopped ringing).

He could now deal with the events of the previous night that had led him into the sorry state he was in at this very moment.

If only he could remember.

He and Goyle - or had it been Crabbe? - had snuck into -the kitchen perhaps, no wait the infirmary, drunk off their arses of course - under the pretense of stealing some anti-aging potion.

Why two teenage boys would need anti aging potion, or where they conceived the notion that the infirmary of a school, where the population consisted mostly of hormonal teenagers -non of whom would ever require the somewhat flimsy potion (which relied heavily on telling old wrinkly women that the potion would revitalize them to their youthful age of 21 – something about turning that old bat McGonnagle into a beautiful vixen?) Is a mystery beyond Draco's slightly sober comprehension.

They did not find the anti aging potion, but did, for some unknown reason bring back a bottle of dreamless draught and...a potion for back acne.

There had been some sort of altercation over who would be allowed to consume the dreamless draught potion as opposed to the back-acne cure, resulting in Draco being bound by the body bind after he childishly downed the entire bottle rather than let Goyle (Crabbe?) have any. The rest was, well blank. He assumed he was asleep.

* * *

Draco decided that for the remainder of this beautiful (and overly bright Sunday) would be spent in bed, with a pillow over his head.

His stomach and bladder eventually got the best of the blond boy and he forced himself out of his very comfortable bed.

He wobbled slightly through the halls, not really focussing onanything in particular, and wishing the other people would be more considerate of his hang over and shut the hell up. He approached a familiar face, also making her way towards the great hall.

"_AH I hate this time of them month. These cramps are Killer"_

"Well you don't have to be so bloody public about it" Malfoy announced to Pansy. She turned to look at him

"Public about what Draco?" she asked.

"Your womanly time of the month, common now, use common sense. "

"_What the. . ." _Her cheeks flamed as she stared at him, her mouth agape, "Well you don't have to announce it to the whole school thank you very much."

With that she walked away. _"Stupid Git, if he wasn't so readily available whenever I needed a casual shag, I'd dump his ass hard on the street. . ." _He didn't get to hear the end of her rant.

"Hey Draco, Wait up." He heard from behind him. He really did not feel like dealing with Nott at the moment.

"_Stupid wanker, don't pretend like you didn't hear me, turn around"_

Draco turned sharply, regretting the action immediately as his head began to spin. "What" he snapped.

"_What crawled up his ass and died?" _Theodore took a step back. "Sorry mate, just wanted a word about the Transfiguration homework. But it can wait."_Beside, Blaise is better in that subject than you are anyways."_

"Well if Blaise is sooo much better go find him then" Draco snapped, turning around. He walked away in a huff.

"_Common, notice me, please, Josh, just look at me._" A little girl was staring intently at the person walking in front of him.

"Say if a little louder and he'll probably notice you." Draco snorted.

"_OH GOD, did I say it out loud. I can never show my face again." _She turned on her heels and ran in the opposite direction.

"_This is the night, this is the night, this is the night. . . I'ma gonna get some tonight" _Said a boy, probably fifth year, as he gently stroked the hand of the girl he was holding.

Draco looked at him, how could she not slap him for what he just said?

"_He's so romantic, I'm just glad he understand that I want to wait for marriage before having sex." _The girl said.

Neither of them had said anything. They both looked at each other with doleful looks in their eyes, neither noticing Draco staring intently at the couple.

Neither had moved their lips.

No sound had escaped their mouths.

"Bloody hell?" Draco shouted. The couple jumped back momentarily.

"_What his problem?" _The boy said, no, not said, the boy thought.

"_Shit, Malfoy, I've heard bad things about Malfoy's. I hope he's not looking for trouble. It would not do to have Colin in the hospital wing tonight."_

"Can we do something for you Mr. Malfoy?" The blond boy asked quietly, barely looking him the eye _"Please say no, please say no." _

"Uhh, no" Malfoy said turning around.

"What in Hades is going on" he mumbled to himself. People were not acting like themselves today. And Colin and his little friend had learned to speak, without actually speaking. What the bloody hell?

He entered the great hall, completely confused. He slowly made his way to his table, but the hall seemed louder than normal.

* * *

"_What does he want with me? I'm only human, I can only DO so much homework before I crack" _

"_God, OWL's are this year, I'm not gonna be able to handle it. This is my future we're talking about."_

"Draco , over hear!"

Draco stopped dead in his tracks, he wasn't sure what to do, he didn't know who called him, or even if someone had called him.

" _Is it normal to think that way about another boy? I mean, he's a guy, I'm a guy. He's got a cute arse though. I should really stop staring at his arse."_

"_Flitwick is going to kill me"_

"I don't know what to do about Katie, she's so pretty, I can't ask her out."

"_Argh, I feel like crap, I hate being constipated."_

"_Is Draco just going to stand there all lunch?"_

Draco realized who had been calling him earlier, and began to walk slowly over to the Slytherin table. Millicent gave him an odd look. It was unlike Draco to simply stand in the middle of the great hall with a look of confusion on his face. It was odd for Draco to have a look of confusion on his face period.

"Are you ok Draco?" she asked, Goyle sat on her right, Crabbe across from her. _"He looks paler than usual, if that's even possible."_

"Um, yea." he piled his plate slowly, the noise level increasing as more and more students entered the great hall.

" _Stupid idiot thinks he can get away with cheating on me-"_

"_I wonder how hard the potions test will be"_

"_I'm famished"_

"_-the second moon of Jupiter is-"_

"_-Quiddich tryouts next week"_

" _I hope no one is looking at my pimple"_

" _He's so hot"_

"_Why doesn't anyone understand me"_

"_I want to go-"_

"_-school is going to be the -"_

"_- wonder if he remembers last-"_

"_-so sexy-"_

"_-never had a-"_

"_-alohamora-"_

"_-it was magical-"_

"_-home is where the heart is-"_

"_-horn crumpled-"_

"_Alohamora"_

"_-never pays attention-"_

"_Draco"_

"_Bloody wanker, cheater, hater, he'll never have-"_

"_Are you listening?" _

"DRACO" Millicent snapped.

Draco lifted his head, the voices were growing louder and louder, more difficult to dicipher on from the next.

"I . . . " he started.

"_Such a wanker-"_

"_Alohamora, Alohamora, Alohamora"_

"_Stupid potions"_

"_I wish I was a seer."_

"_I wonder if she would say yes."_

"_I hope he realizes-"_

"ARGHHHHHH" Draco screamed as he placed his hands over his ears. He stood in his seat and bolted for the door.

He wasn't fully paying attention to where he was headed and ran straight into McGonnagle. He fell backwards, unable to brace himself for the fall as his hands were still over his ears.

"Mr. Malfoy?" she asked quizically. "Are you all right?" she bent over slightly, her cane still supporting her. _"I do hope he's all right, I can't deal with another ill student today, I still have to grade the third year essays, and I was really hoping to have a go with Dumbledore tonight. Last night was simply spectuacular, I never realized how much his bear tickles down there-" _

Draco never heard the end of her thoughts. He was to disgusted. Adults of that age should most definitely not be doing what he concluded they were doing. Furthemore, he himself should not be able to hear those most private details of a persons life.

He was certain people were not speaking to him, or at all for that matter.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL" he screamed at the top of his lungs, to no one in particular.

"Draco?" he heard from the other end of the hall.

"Please, please, please leave me alone," he muttered to himself.

Two figures approached him, Crabbe and Goyle.

"You all right mate? Millicent sent us to check on you." Crabbe said eyeing Draco.

"I'm fine you dolts, I just needed to be alone." They both nodded, but neither turned to leave.

"As in, by myself , with out another person around." Neither moved.

"As in LEAVE!"

"Ok."

They turned to leave, when Malfoy said, "Wait, stop."

They stopped in their tracks. Malfoy listened, but heard nothing.

"Two plus two?"

"Uhh. . ."

"Quick, think something, anything."

"Uhhh. . ." they both scrunched their faces in concentration.

He still heard nothing.

"YES. It's passed."

"What's passed?" Goyle asked.

"Nothing, at all."

Draco walked past them, confidant that the anomily he had just experienced was over. He could get some peace and quiet.

"How can nothing pass?" he heard Goyle mumble in confusion.

"I'unno"

* * *

The three of them headed towards Slytherin Dormitories.

They passed a group of fourth year's, Hufflepuff, judging by the robes.

"_He's so sexy."_

"_Why are always the hot ones the arrogant ones?"_

"_He's looking at us."_

"_Walk faster, please walk faster."_

Draco stopped in his tracks.

Crabbe walked into his back, knocking him over. Sprawled on his knees, Malfoy turned to his two companions, he looked even more confused that they normally did.

"But, you. You thought. I couldn't hear your thoughts. You guys were silent. I didn't hear anything"

Silence.

"BLOODY IDIOT'S DON'T THINK DO YOU" Malfoy screamed at the top of his lungs. He got to his feet and ran to library.

* * *

"_The use for Moonstone-"_

"_Wolfsbane is a commonly used-"_

"_SO YOU WANT TO BE A SECURITY TROLL TRAINER"_

"_His hand crept slowly up her thigh, stopping only short of her-"_

"CAN"T YOU PEOPLE ALL BE QUIET I CAN'T BLOODY CONCENTRATE" Draco screamed as he passed a group of students, all quietly reading.

He moved passed them, and into the medical ailment section of the library.

The thoughts were coming out as only a whisper from this distance.

He leaned against the bookcase and rubbed his temple. Who knew other peoples thoughts could give a person a headache.

"_Why do they ALWAYS put the books I need at the VERY top shelf." _Draco heard. He was alone in the isle, but he could still hear the person, he recognized the voice, but didn't register the speaker.

He needed to find this book, and most certainly wouldn't be able to find it if someone kept thinking so loudly. He would simply scare them off.

He peered into the isle next to him, no one. He walked into the potions isle, there, on her tip toes, stood Granger, attempting in vain to reach a book on the top shelf.

"_It's all a conspiracy I tell you." _She was having a conversation with a person in her own mind, Draco mused. It would have been extremely comical, if Draco knew, just what the heck was going on. _"It's a conspiracy against the medium sized people. Short people have an excuse not to be able to reach things, tall people have no problem, the world just forgets about the rest of us. Conspiracy!" _She thought as she placed a foot on the first shelf to be able to reach the book a little better.

For some reason, Draco just couldn't turn himself away. He found the monologue in her mind rather interesting, wanting very much to see where it was going.

"_Where's Ron when you need him. No, better yet, where is my tall, knight in shining armour when I need him?"_

Draco leaned against on the bookcase and watched her struggle, listening to her thoughts.

"_Stupid Potion's essay, I bet Snape purposely assigned the essay so that I would have to reach the stupid book on the top shelf. I'd love to stick this book up his ass."_

"If I could reach it that is." she mumbled to herself. She stretched as much as she possibly could, fingering the spine of the book, finally grasping it. She fell to the ground with a slight tumble, but landed on her feet none the less.

She brushed herself off, _"YES. Score one for the medium sized people_"

She turned around, still praising herself in her head and gasped at the sight of Malfoy.

"_Git" _

"Enjoy the show Ferret?" she asked casually as she eyed him up and down. Attempting to work out exactly how long he had been watching her. _"What the hell is he smirking at?"_

Draco didn't even realize he had been smirking. As hard as he might he literally couldn't wipe the smirk off his face.

"It was rather amusing to watch your struggle Mudblood"

"_Hasn't he figured out that I didn't grow up hearing the word, so it really REALLY doesn't have an effect on me?" _

"Well, as pleasant as this has been, Ferret, I have something I need to do."

"_I love how his face twitches as he hears Ferret." _Hermione thought as she walked past him slowly.

"My face does NOT twitch." She stopped dead in her tracks and eyed him cautiously. "I mean . . ." Bloody hell, he thought, he painted himself into a corner.

" . . .all right?" she said as she walked past him. "Good for you." she mumbled.

"I have to fix this, I have to fix this now"

A/N -- Good? Not good? Continue? Or not?


	2. Strange Realizations

**_Disclamer - Still don't own it, would be nice if I did though...oh well a girl can dream_**

**AN- I was going through my computer and found this unfinished story, so I decided to finish it...it is pre HBP, so keep that in mind while reading it...**

He spent the entire night in the library, searching through over 15 medical ailment books. It wasn't that their were no cases, or even cures, for people who are able to read minds - no the problem was there were far to many.

Throw a dirty sock over your shoulder then lick a teaspoon of salt.

Drink pureed wolfsbane with a dash of vinegar oil.

Or his personal favourite to date. Find a over sized stuffed toad (must have been alive at one point). Kiss said toad on the lips and do a semi rain dance (the book _African Medical Cures _gave a very detailed manifest of the steps to this dance.)

Furthermore, these were for different kind of mind reading abilities.

Who knew you could read the mind of a goat? Draco didn't even know goats were capable of intelligent thought (that and much more apparently, according to _Animal Mind Reading for Dummies._)

Draco, although he was fairly certain he could not read the mind of goats as he had yet to pass one in the hallway, was otherwise unsure of what form of mind reading he was capable of.

He could hear the thoughts of those in his immediate vicinity, save for Crabbe and Goyle who seemed to posses no inner workings.

What he did not know what whether he was reading people on the conscious or sub-conscious level. He was unsure if he was reading the minds of people emotionally, physically or spiritually. And he sure as hell didn't know if he was hearing people _intra-vires _or _ultra-vires _, whatever the hell that meant.

He didn't know what caused this...gift. He didn't know if it was an accident or if it was given to him. He was praying it was an accident because being given this talent opened up a larger section of possible cures, all of which seemed more complicated and absurd than the last.

Yet as it stood, he still had half a shelf to go through on curing mind control. He was however grateful that he was not stricken with the sudden urge to burp the alphabet, because, although their were numerous number of books related to mind reading, there were twice as many on that particular ailment.

* * *

He trudged his way to class, avoiding as many crowded hallways as possible.

And he was doing quite well at avoiding people, and therefore uncomfortable and awkward situations, not to mention a pounding headache.

Then he heard it. Walking the back hallways towards the dungeon, passing a dark alcove, that he probably would never have noticed had he just kept walking.

A soft moan.

And... was that facts about today's Potions quiz?

His curiosity got the best of him, and he paused in front of the alcove.

He lit his wand and began inwards towards the source of the noise and the thoughts.

And then he ran.

Because low and behold, hidden in the dark of the deep alcove was non other than Ronald Weasley, (the moaner) and some twit named after a colour (the studier) stark naked.

Again, had he understood his situation, and been able to grasp his situation a little better, he might (MIGHT) have found the situation funny (after all the twit named after a colour - Rose? Peach? Aqua-Marine? prefering to study for her potions quiz rather than be pleasure by her boyfriend), but seeing Weasley's pale and freckled arse ruined any and all humour in the matter.

As he approached the potions class, a good number of students were already in the line outside the door.

"The proper ingredients for shrinking potion are..." He heard Blaise mutter "_four ounces of crushed beetles, a teaspoon of dragons tooth powder and...and...and..." _Blaise's face was crumpled in concentration "Fuck."

"_I will not mess this potion up, I will not mess this potion up-" _Neville chanted over and over in his mind.

"_What should I get for Ginny...one year, she'll be expecting jewellery. Jewellery is expensive"_

"_Mam's going to massacre me when she sees I dropped Herbology."_

"_Nott's staring at me again."_

"_Dragon's tooth powder... mandrake leaf...and crushed beetles, boiled for 10 minutes-"_

"_Nott's staring at Pansy again, fuck, look at me... please" _

"_Something's up with Malfoy." _Draco paused his tour, attempting to drown out the noise around him and locate the source that said his name. "_He looks like he's looking for something, he's not sneering, insulting, preying or doing anything ...Malfoyish -maybe he has a cold. Gosh I hope I don't get it, I can't afford to miss the defence test tomorrow-"_

That cinched it, his eyes drifted towards Granger, who was standing a few feet in front of Potter. The twit named after a colour was there as well, Weasley's arms draped around her waste, whispering in her ear. Whatever he said, it made her blush.

His eyes landed on Granger finally. He cocked an eyebrow waiting for her to continue with her thoughts.

"_He seems to have a staring problem– What the hell is he cocking an eyebrow at, that son of a bitch?" _She met his gaze and held it. _"Oh now it's on Malfoy. I can beat you any day of the weak at a staring contest." _Oh it was definitely on now. "_What Malfoy? Bring it On!" _He smirked at the very unlike-Granger thing she said - thought _"Was that not a movie that was popular with the Yanks a few years back?" _Despite the insane ramblings in her head, Granger remained cool and collected on the outside, not letting anyone suspect the inner workings of her mind were so very...flaky. "_About some cheerleaders or something in that general area. What's he smirking at?" _Draco had no idea what a cheer-lead- her or a Moo V was, but he found her train of thought rather amusing. Compared to the dullness and predictability of everyone else. "_Bet he's never seen a movie before in his life. Probably doesn't know what it is. Wouldn't be able to recognize a cheerleader or anything remotely muggle if it smacked him on his ferret nose – He twitched –"_

Before Draco or Hermione could act, the door to the dungeon class room swung open with a loud bang.

The swell of voices picked up again, adding Snape's cruel and disdained voice into the mix made it near impossible for Draco to read Granger's thoughts anymore.

* * *

"Well I'll be damned if I didn't ace that quiz" He heard Blaise announce to the table. He actually heard this, as in Blaise said it aloud. Draco was getting better at distinguishing the two. Although not very much better.

It showed what Blaise knew at the very least. Draco had heard the answers of everyone else, Blaise had forgotten about the mandrake leaves– being able to read minds was a very helpful commodity during an exam or test - Draco would have to be some form of idiot to fail the quiz he just took. Maybe even beat Granger.

Granger. She wasn't in the Great Hall at supper.

The Great hall was beginning to give him a headache. He wanted some quite time, and possibly to read Granger's mind once more. He knew just where to find her too.

* * *

She wasn't called the smartest witch of her generation (and possibly many previous ones as well) simply because she's able to _Alohamora_ her way through a door.

She was very intelligent. She could retain information fairly easy. Her memory was impeccable. Her deductive and reasoning skills were superb. Her logic and perceptiveness made her a very reasoned thinker.

He twitched. At the very moment she called him a ferret in her mind no less.

He only twitched when he was called a ferret (probably from deep seated memories of being bounced around as one).

That and when she walked into the library at lunch Madam Pince was muttering in an angry whisper about having to put away over half the medical ailment section this morning. "Who would need to read _Animal Mind Reading for Dummies _is beyond me." Hermione heard the old professor whisper to herself as she passed by the librarians desk.

Hermione Granger was not called the Smartest witch of her generation for nothing, afterall.

She walked into the Medical Ailment section and grabbed one of the nearest books on mind control.

It had no dust on it, and the spine had been broken in. It had been read very recently.

If her theory was correct, which they almost always were (with of course the exception of the time she believed that a piece of bubble gum could be removed with peanut butter from her hair. It only resulted in a minty-peanut mix, that was promptly chopped off the day before her last year at primary school.) Draco would find her.

Draco had heard enough teenage melodrama to last him two lifetimes.

He was tired of hearing "Look at me", "Does he like me?"," Will she say yes?", "Will she give it up?" and his personal favourite, "If he likes me so much why won't he just ask me out and then maybe I'll give it up." It was all the same. Boys/Girls, school, parents, boys/girls, homework, lunch, boys/girls, periods (in the case of women), sexuality, and of course boys and girls.

He did however hear a very interesting fantasy of a pretty girl (one of the twins he believed – not the head girl, the other one) and another pretty girl (one from hufflepuff) involving whipped cream and whips.

So as he walked into the library and heard "_Where does the dust in this school go? I realize there are house elves to clean it up -which is wrong on so many levels - but where exactly does the excess dust float off to? Are there air vents? I should find out and add it to my copy of _Hogwarts: A History_. Hmm, I could always get into a career in writing - I seem to do enough of it as it is."_ Draco stopped dead in his tracks. Granger's mind worked a mile a minute. _"I really need to tell Harry and Ron I'm not going to pursue a career as an auror. Ok, it's settled then, tomorrow, I'll tell them tomorrow. Wait, tomorrow we have a defence_ _test, it wouldn't do for them to be harping over my decision during the test."_ So the golden trio kept secrets from each other. That could prove very useful._ "I wonder if Malfoy realizes I can see his shadow across the floor?"_

Malfoy eyes dropped immediately to the ground, where his shadow was indeed pasted across the floor, dancing slightly as the torch light illuminating the wall flickered.

"Granger?" he announced moving forward.

"_Malfoy!" _she said not moving from her spot on the floor.

"What are you doing on the floor? Wait, no filth like you belongs on the floor now doesn't it." he said smirking.

" _And wankers like you deserve to have your heads deflated painfully. I'm surprised you don't topple over under the weight of your ego." _she said callously, still not making any attempt to move.

"Well at least I'm not a know-it-all prude with a mane that scares even the deadliest creatures away. Honestly Granger, if I had a weaker stomach I'd be retching all over you right now. It might even improve your state to be thrown up on by a pureblood." He said maliciously.

"_Why you little bugger. If pure bloods are so much better, why are my grades superior to yours? Why is Harry better at quiddich than you-"_

"Potter is NOT better at me in quiddich -Shit."

"I knew it!" she exclaimed finally standing to face him. "_Bloody hell I knew it. Could he have been more obvious?" _

"I thought I was doing a fine job of covering it up thank you very much" Draco announced primly.

"_Whatever Ferret- twitch"_

"Stop with the ferret jokes."

"So what did you do Malfoy?" she asked honestly. "_Kiss up to Snape so much that he thought it would be best if you could just read his mind everytime he needed you to bark for him? Try practising ligillums on Crabbe and Goyle and realized they had nothing up there to read."_

"Why you little bint." he stated rudely, "I don't need your help Granger. I'll figure it out on my own." He turned to walk away.

"Malfoy wait." she said stopping him in his tracks. "_Stop being a wanker and admit that you need my help."_

"Stop being a wanker and admit you need my help." she stated out loud this time.

"Do you always speak what's on your mind Granger, you must seeing as your always attempting to answer every possible question ever asked on the face of the planet. Do you get tired attempting to be bloody perfect? Because your not. Your tainted blood will never allow it." He said venomously.

"_Sodding Malfoy._ _I'm not trying to be perfect"_

"Really? It surely looks like you are. Never appeased with second best are you. Always have to have the perfect marks. Always attempting to give the look of miss-goody-two-shoes. Always helping the less fortunate, even if they don't bloody want your help."

"_Is that what you are Malfoy? Less fortunate. Do you think I want to HELP you. Is that why you look afraid to come any closer to me. Because your afraid to receive help from a Mudblood?" _

"WOULD YOU STOP THINKING!" he said loudly, cutting through her thoughts. "At least have the common curtsey to insult me aloud."

"Sorry Malfoy. I'll try harder to stop thinking that you're a bloody arse, and actually say it instead."

"Bloody... Granger...ARGH -When did you become such a...a...a bitch?" he exclaimed turning to face her.

"It's part of my perfect persona. I simply think evil thoughts, rather than say them. Besides you bring out the best in me Malfoy." She said sarcastically.

"Glad I could be of service" he replied sardonically. "Look Granger, I don't need, nor do I want your help. I'll deal with this...whatever it is on my own." He moved to leave

"Oh bloody hell Malfoy, admit that you have no idea what's wrong with you, the sooner we get passed this animosity between us, the sooner we can fix you" Hermione said, planting herself in front of him.

"Just SHUT UP Granger. Get off your bloody fucking pedestal. I don't want your help. Never in my life will I ever want the help of you, the lowly mudblood whore of Potters. Why would I go to you anyways, you aren't even the smartest witch in this school. I might as well go to Padma Patil if I wanted someone with real brains to help me. She did make head girl after all." He spat so viciously he was surprised he didn't knock her off her feet. "And you know what Granger? Want to know what I heard the professors talking about? They say you try to hard to impress everyone. That's why you didn't make head girl because you wanted it for the wrong reasons. You wanted it because you needed to prove you were the best." he said with a smirk growing on his face. He ignore her thoughts, simply speaking louder than she thought "And everyone in this bloody school thinks your fucking fake. They say you try to hard to be nice to that people will like you. Even your friends are bloody tired of you forcing your ideals down their throats. Take a hint Granger, EVERYONE finds you annoying."

He saw her face before he comprehended her thoughts. Her usually bright brown eyes were dimmed and lined with tears. Her cheeks were flushed. This was an emotion he was unfamiliar with for Granger. He was used to her anger and her banter, her mild resentment when he bested her, her superior attitude when he called her names, her passion when she got riled up. This was none of that. He had broken this girl with his lies laced with truths (no he had not heard anyone specifically speak of Granger since he developed this ability - With the exception of the Finnegan boy whose is mildly obsessed with Granger - but that doesn't mean he hasn't heard these things spoken about her before ,although most of this came from the Slytherin common room, from Pansy in particular, but that is besides the point).

"_I...I...I...it's true" _she thought, bringing Draco out of his own musings. "_Ok...ok..."_ Before she could think or say anymore, she turned on her heal and ran away from him. He could hear a low "_Can't let him see tears"_ before she was out of sight.

**AN - Please review**


	3. Strange flights

A/N: Ok, I'll admit it, I'm JK Rowling...I've got millions of dollars in the bank and am writing the seventh book. To occupy my spare time I write fanfiction...cause I'm just that cool!

So sorry about the long wait, I'm sorry but this chapter isn't as funny as previous ones, probably one of the more serious chapters in my story...but promise not to make em all like this!

* * *

So he made her cry. It wasn't as though he hadn't made anyone cry before. In fact Draco had an impressive talent at making people cry. He's even made Granger cry before. In fact he shouldn't be feeling any of this...whatever he was feeling over it.

He didn't even have a name for what he was feeling. It was as though something was gnawing at his insides. He felt a pain in his stomach - only not his stomach more like his pit, an empty pit inside him now had pain, and it was filling with something. He was feeling sorry for Granger, but not just sorry, it was something more...something deeper that was eating at him, eating at his ...soul...

But that wasn't right, Draco didn't have a soul. Well he was sure he did, but figured his soul was simply such a minute part of him that it worked much like appendix. No actual purpose, but there anyways, just something discarded through human evolution.

Draco was feeling guilty... something that he had felt only four times before in his life.

Once as a wee five year old...he caught a small baby pixy with a broken wing in a tree one day, but in his childish attempts to save the pixy''s wing, Draco killed the little creature.

Once when he said something that made his mom cry. He was seven, and could never recall exactly what he had said, he could only remember the steady stream of tears pouring down his mothers beautiful face.

Once when he was eight. He was learning how to fly with Pansy and her father. She called him an Easter bunny... which as everyone knows is a terrible insult for a pureblood child to be compared to the lowest of non magical creatures beloved by muggles. So he hexed her broom and she flew directly into a tree and had to stay in the hospital for a month.

And once when he realized his father had almost gotten the youngest Weasley killed during his second year. He barely knew the little twerp. He had no idea what actually happened, except that Harry-the-Wonder-Potter killed a giant bascillus to save her. But he knew his father had something to do with the almost death of a person he actually knew. The connection stirred something deep inside Draco. Something that he was sure he would be better off without, but couldn't -for the life of him- get rid of it.

Since then, he had not felt guilty once. Not when he had to detain the golden trio and company last year. Not when he purposefully manoeuvred Large-bottom to trip into the trick step on the moving staircases late one night and leaving him there till Peeves found him the next morning and dump a large tub of lard on the boy. And most certainly not when he insulted people to the point of making them cry.

His damn conscious was acting up again. For Granger-the-Mudblood of all people.

It was anomalies like this one that made Draco truly question the sermon of the Scientology-Wiccan's who came to his door three years ago and lectured him about purebred interbreeding and it''s effects on something called Jen-Ethics. They attempted to explain how years of pureblood marriages has diminished something called the Jean- Pool (something Draco was CERTAIN was a muggle garment - he remained awake for at least some of his muggle studies classes-)

He shouldn't be feeling this way about Granger. He''s always been the evil villain and he's never had a problem with it before, so why did it simply commence now.

Perhaps his curse/gift/power/annoying-pain-in-the-ass was affecting him more-so than he thought.

* * *

So she did try a little hard. And so she was a little pushy. And a little bit of a know-it-all. And she was smug when she was right. And she was...well everything Draco had told her, and more.

After her altercation in the library, Hermione ran to the first available bathroom, sealed the door closed and sunk into the wall.

She cried until she had no more tears to cry.

She then stood up looked at herself in the mirrors and then proceeded to draw out all her flaws.

She was not as altruistic as she liked to believe she was. It had never really occurred to her before now. She wanted people to think she was. She needed people to see her as a kind generous person.

She defended her beliefs as though there was no tomorrow. But never really considered that for some people they didn't care about tomorrow, and therefore didn't really care about her beliefs.

She tried to impress the teachers for the approval she desperately missed from home. She was an only child, and received the brunt of her parent''s affection, as well as criticism. It simply carried over into Hogwarts.

She did need to prove her worth here. Muggle-borns, did on average, tend to be at a disadvantage in the magical community, many were in fact weaker than the average pureblood, or half-blood wizard, with few exceptions. Hermione did feel the need to prove herself, both academically and magically. She felt empathy for creatures who were looked down upon, such as she was. She felt that as a muggle-born she had a unique perspective on the wizarding world, who appeared to contain a seriously warped view of ethics, in her personal opinion. However, Malfoy was right, it wasn't her place to force her beliefs on anyone.

And people MUST find her over-achieving tendencies annoying.

One thing Malfoy said nawed at her mind moreso than the rest, however. She wasn't Head Girl, she had been expecting the position, her grades unmatched by anyone else in the school, her contribution to the community - she believed - was great, -Hell she managed to withstand the pressures of Voldemort, she would surely be able to withstand the pressures of being Head Girl.

But the position had gone to Padma Patil of Ravenclaw, whose average was half a NEWT below hers, whose only contribution to the school thus far had been in her prefect duties. And she was one of the many who had had to see Madam Pomphrey for a calming potion during last years exams.

Had Malfoy been right? Did the teachers see right through her facade, did they find her as annoying as the students?

Hermione's depression over the situation subsided slightly, replaced with a feeling of hurt, and...anger... anger at Malfoy for him pointing out all her flaws, anger at the students for going along with the status quo and not challenging for what was right (albeit her views on what was right WAS different from those of the students apparently), and anger towards the teachers. She was not trying hard ONLY for them, could they not see everything she had to deal with being a muggle born friend of Harry Potter? How dare they find her annoying, they were adults! It was their place to help her in her quest for fitting in and change.

Hermione needed explanations. She needed answers and, most importantly, she needed her Arithmancy text because she was going to be late for class...

* * *

Draco was getting another headache. He had gotten better at ignoring the thoughts of other students, but he still felt large crowds overwhelming. He would have continued to avoid the Great Hall, but he hadn't eaten properly since he received his...abilities ( he had yet to decide whether they were a gift or a curse as he was tired of hearing about female monthly''s but often enjoyed listening in on naughty fantasies.)

"_I never noticed how Hannah's bum shakes as she walks...she has a cute bum"_ Draco looked up from his plate momentarily to find the Hufflepuff, who indeed had a very cute bum, and then returned to his meal.

"_The sum of the magical properties of a imperious curse are..."_

Draco decidedly tuned out the thoughts of arithmancy being done some people down from him, attempting to focus, somewhat futilely on Pansy''s voice, going on (and on and on) about how she beat Weasley at his potion quiz, (the only student in the class she actually managed to surpass)

"When I told him about the grade his face turned a shade redder than his disgusting hair," she said for the umpteenth time. _"Draco, look at me while I'm speaking to you, this is important..." _

He did as he was told, but didn't suppress the sigh of annoyance that escaped his lips.

"What is it Draco?" she said looking him in the eye, _"Well if I'm THAT bloody annoying, why are you still talking to me?" _her face betrayed her thoughts however, as she gave him a false look of empathy, patting his hand gently. "What's on your mind?"

"Everything," he mumbled only audible enough for himself to hear,"-nothing Pans, I think I might be coming down with a cold, is all."

"_Well no snogging tonight then, I refuse to get sick"_ she thought, eyeing him slightly, "Oh? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"

"No, I just want to go lie down a bit" he responded, standing up to leave. As he did so, he searched out a familiar head of bushy hair at the Gryffindor table, but saw only Potter, Weasel and She Weasel.

"Well feel better" Pansy said lightly, jolting Draco away from his search. "_Yes, I think Blaise will do fine for tonight..."_

Draco made a mental note (the irony was not lost of him) of never sleeping with Pansy again.

As he exited the hall, Draco didn't even notice that the more his own thought were consumed with thoughts of Granger's whereabouts, the more the voices of students around him faded.

* * *

"Miss Granger, what brings you to my office this evening?" Dumbledore said lightly, a twinkle in his eye. "You really did not need to, what is the muggle term 'Book an appointment' with me, I'm always available for my students" he chuckled, impressed by her professionalism.

All of Hermione's Gryffindor courage seemed to evaporate within her as she sat looking at the old headmaster. She suddenly no longer wanted to offend him, didn't want to question his decision, and didn't want to upset him. And what if she had to explain to him Malfoy's abilities, it wasn't her place to say anything, although it could be dangerous if his powers went unchecked. Hermione was suddenly feeling slightly nauseated, wishing she hadn't booked the appointment.

"Well you see Proffessor..." she began, "Umm, well, ok the thing is," she bit her lower lip and looked at the palms of her hands, wishing she had written her speech on them like she used to do, before asking for something from her parents, "...I mean I probably shouldn't be bothering you with this...in fact it's not that important, I just, I dunno wanted to ask you..."she trailed off...

"Would this be simpler if you simply wrote down your question Miss Granger?" he asked gently, sensing her obvious discomfort for being here.

"Umm no sir..."

"What is your question Miss Granger" he nudged.

Hermione looked up from her hands at his gentle face, wondering if he found her as annoying as the rest of the world apparently did. He of all people would be understanding to her situation. "Why didn't I get head girl?" she asked suddenly, regretting the words the instant they left her mouth.

Albus chuckled to himself, mentally making note to tell Pince that she won the pool.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner Miss Granger." He said softly, not letting her brake his penetrating gaze.

"You are possibly one of the brightest students that has passed through Hogwarts in years, possibly even decades." Her heart swelled at her headmaster saying this, but become even more confused. " You have been through much more than the average teenager, even a wizard one. You are quite possibly one of the reasons that Mr Potter is still alive today. You're fight for house elf freedom is a commendable on, if slightly misguided. And finally, have overcome odds that students from wizarding families will never understand. On the surface you are the best person for the job." He stated simply.

"If I'm the best, sir, why didn't I get it?" she asked, suddenly feeling tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"Sometimes, my dear, being the best isn't the right reason to get the job" he said gently.

Hermione urged herself not to cry infront of the headmaster. Nodding slowly she stood up and said "Thank you professor, I'll let myself out."

"Miss Granger, please stay a minute more."

"Sir it's ok, I understand, I was the best for the job on paper, or I should say parchment, but my personality does not comply with the job description." she said turning to leave.

Dumbledore had been headmaster for years, and professor for nearly as many. He could count on one hand the number of times he had been truly confused by a student.

He was finally going to have to add another hand, he thought bitterly.

"Miss Granger, please sit down." he said waving the chair back under her. "I'm sorry, but quite frankly my dear, I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

Hermione drew in a long breath and paused... did she really have to subject herself to this humiliation, admitting to one of her idols the fact that she was an annoying little witch that everybody hated, despite the fact that she was fairly sure he already knew that - how mean was her headmaster anyways?

Looking at the palms of her hands once again, she gathered all her courage and resolved herself not to cry, which would only add insult to injury, and said "Sir, you obviously didn't offer me the job because students and professors alike find me...annoying. You couldn't offer me the position because I only wanted it to prove I was the best, that I don't actually deserve it because I'm a fake..."

To say Dumbledore was stunned was an understatement. For a full minute he said nothing to the girl in front of him, to the girl he, well to the girl he admired.

"If it's ok with you sir, I think I'll go now" Hermione finally said, still not looking up from her palms.

"Miss Granger - Hermione. In all my years at Hogwarts, I have met thousands of good students, hundreds ofgreat students, a handful of amazing students, and only a small fraction of extraordinary students - a student who continually surprises me, a student I personally admire and learn from. I've never had more than one exceptional student per year, often not more than one per decade. Since you've begun Hogwarts, I've had three; Harry, Mister Weasley, and you."

Hermione was beginning to lose her temper. If she was so spectacular, why on EARTH hadn't she received the Head Girl position?

Before she could ask the obvious question, Dumbledore spoke up again.

"Miss Granger, it wasn't because students or teachers found you annoying that you didn't receive Head Girl, in fact I must say I've never heard those sorts of comments from students or teachers -"

"You've obviously never spoken to Ron or Harry after I've tried to get them to do their homework" Hermione interjected, to which Dumbledore chuckled.

"Why do you think Mister Weasley received the head boy position? He did not have the top grades in the school."

"I assumed he recieved it because of everything he had to go through with Voldemort."

"No, he received it because with his relationship to you and Harry, and more importantly, everything Harry had to go through with Voldemort."

"I'm sorry I don't think I understand sir." she said, finally looking up from her hands, letting her curiosity overcome her.

"Ron has had to live in his brother's, Harry's, and your shadows. When he looked in the mirror of Erised, he saw himself as head boy, this was something he needed in order to look at himself in normal mirrors." Dumbledore said, waiting for her response, when none came, he continued, " Miss Patil lives in a similar, if slightly less grand-scale, situation. It is her belief, as it is with many students -believe it or not - that they live in your shadow Miss Granger. Miss Granger, if you looked in the mirror of Erised, you would not see yourself as Head Girl."

"My shadow? But - well - if they - What?"

"Miss Granger, you are a smart and lovely student, who is helping to defeat the darkest lord of our time. You, Harry, and Mister Weasley don't realize this, but you three are envied, and somewhat idolized at this school. Other students, such as miss Patil, have confessed to me that they wish to be somewhat more like you. And for the very reason that Mister Weasley received the head Boy position, Miss Patil received the head girl position."

Hermione let the information sink in.

She didn't know what to say, she felt like a huge fool for believing Malfoy, and somewhat of a jerk for being idolized, but at the same time she felt dignified and, almost special, for what Dumbledore had just finished telling her.

"Thank you professor." was all she said before standing up and walking out of his office, at the door she turned and said "I'm sorry about this, I, well I just needed to understand."

"Of course, again I say I was surprised you hadn't approached me sooner," he said smiling, "and Miss Granger-" she turned again " I trust you to use your discretion when you tell whoever has been filling your head with nonsense that they are wrong?"

"Yes Professor." And with that she left, wondering how exactly she was going to use her discretion when Malfoy was able to read her thoughts so easily.

* * *

Malfoy avoided the library that night, Madam Pince had begun question his motives in her mind the last time he was there. The last thing he needed was the creaky old librarian running to the headmaster saying Draco was up to mischief in the library.

However, he didn't return to the Slytherin common room either, as he was beginning to findthe thought of his comrades were rather dull, as they spent most of their time thinking (and discussing) they're dislikes: of other house (Gryffindor in particular), the professors, they're homework, and most commonly, of their fellow Slytherins. Draco realized something about his house, something that had eluded him prior to his newfound ability, his house was full of a bunch of bloody wankers and whiners.

Since he was avoiding the library, the great hall, and his own common room, Draco found himself wandering the school grounds. It being the beginning of November, their was a crisp feeling in the air. It was not quite cool enough to be unpleasant, but not quire warm enough to enjoy the night. The wind had a certain chill to it, but the night still had a bit of warmth. The starts were shining brightly, and the semi moon was enough light for him to travel outside without worrying about tripping.

"Fang won'cha jus' eat the steak. I got it special for ya'." Draco heard in the distance, must have been the half giant trying to feed the creature he tries to pass off as a dog. _"Those butt-worms haf' downrite taking away your apetite then eh?" _Draco heard the oaf think. Draco decided to avoid that direction all together, and headed towards the quiddich pitch. He suddenly wished he has his broom, however it was all the way back in his dormitory, and Draco had neither the energy or the will to go get it, so he did the next best thing, he broke into the broom supply shed and stole on the ancient Comet brooms he used during his first year.

The broom was not steady, nor was it smooth, but it got him in the air, and at the moment that was all that mattered.

He flew around the pitch a bit, without a real purpose other than to fly. He was getting rather bored and was going to continue his flight around the school when he heard _"Boys and their quiddich, is their really a point to the dumb game? Ok, perhaps this is not something that is restricted to the wizarding community as football seems to be a very popular sport, I simply don't understand the lure of danger. Why would anyone willingly put themself in harms way."_ Draco was straining to hear her thought from high above the pitch_ "What could one possibly learn from quiddich anyways? Other than how to knock themselves of their broom. Damn brooms, almost worst than a hippograff...ooh I wonder how Buckbeats doing, I should ask Hagrid next time I see him." _

"MALFOY" she yelled suddenly, surprising him so much so that he jerked the broom. Now on his own broom, or on any broom of high quality, he would have been able to compose himself midair, however on the old Comet he was currently riding, he was unable to keep himself from losing his balance and slipping off the broom

He yelled momentarily and was vaguely aware of Granger's screams, before grabbing hold of the handle and pulling himself back up.

When he had regained his breath he looked down to the feild and shouted "What the fuck are you trying to do Granger? Kill Me?"

She looked up at him seated comfortably and confidently maybe 50 metre's above her, and shouted back "If I were trying to kill you, I would do it quite a bit more creatively than trying to get you to fall off your broom...afterall, even if I got you to fall, there's not guarantee you'd die...I'd much prefer some more colourful curses designed to torture and humiliate you."

"How very Slytherin of you Granger" he shouted down.

"_Me Slytherin HA... Why on earth would I want to be associate with those coniving, future death eater, sons of a bit-"_

"Ah ah ah, Granger watch your tongue...er I mean thoughts." Draco said suddenly a little confused. "What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything?" she asked defiantly,

"You searched me out remember?" he said lowering slightly so he didn't have to shout. "And I have no idea what a 'Maurauder's Map' is, but I would very much like to know how you used it to find me."

Hermione suddenly blushed, she was having trouble keeping her thoughts in check.

"I know you're having trouble keeping me off your mind, Granger. It's only natural, I am devastatingly handsome."

"_I think I might vomit"_she thought purposefully.

"You clearly have no taste Granger" he said spitefully "Now I'll ask you again, why are you here?"

"Could you just come down, we need to talk." she said, her neck starting to hurt her _"More like I need to yell at you_"

"Now why would I to go where I can be yelled at?" he said smugly, enjoying the looks of frustration as she realized once again she had to be careful with what she thought.

"Malfoy stop being a git and get down here." she said stomping her feet.

"Such a delightful temper you have there Granger." He called out. He heard something in the distance, and stiffened, straining his hearing. Thought's and voices... coming closer. Of course!. Ravenclaw had booked the pitch, which is precisely why Slytherin wasn't having practice that night.

"I have a better idea for you Granger," he said swooping down towards the ground, "How about you come up?" he reached out his left hand and grabbed her wrist. Her mouth was agape, and before she could properly react, he had yanked her onto the broom and flew off again.

"MALFOY. What are you doing?" she screamed before throwing her arms around his waist and burying her head in his back, truly not caring that this was Malfoy, the ferret rat who had tormented her and her friends for years.

"_Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god," _were her only coherent thoughts.

Malfoy realized something, that he was sure as hell surprised he never realized before, Granger was afraid of heights.

Oh he would have fun with this.

He was strangely aware of her arms around his waist as she held on for dear life, but paid no mind to it. As soon as they were clear of the pitch, Malfoy took a dive, straight into ground, laughing at Granger's screams behind him. He pulled up well away from the ground and continued upwards again, twisting the broom as he went. He flew atop the school, twisting and diving as he went, enjoying her screams very much. He flew towards the lake and dove once more, deciding to go for the _piece de resistance_. The broom was coming dangerously close to the water, but Draco wasn't worried, he had done this on solid ground plenty of times. Almost nose to nose with the water he pulled up, forgetting that this was not his Nimbus 2001, but the schools old and worn Comet. The broom narrowly missed the water, but the tail slapped the surprisingly hard surface, causing Hermione to hold onto Malfoy tighter. The tail slapped the water again and sent a shock wave through the broom causing Malfoy and Hermione to be lifted off the broom handle. The broom twisted in Malfoy's hands and was pulled ouf from under them both. They fell to the water with a sickening crunch, Hermione hit the water first and promptly let go of Draco. Draco was aware that hew as still holding the broom as he slammed into the water with enough force to knock the wind out of him. The momentum of the broom dragged him several feet away from where Hermione had fallen before the broom was completely submerged and he floated to a stop. The tightness in his chest was constricting him, and he began to panic. He had been winded before, and tried to force himself to calm down. Still clutching the broom, Malfoy rose slightly in the water, hoping that the Comet was not useless enough to not fly when wet. He broke the surface and thanked whatever deity was above for the still floating broom. He caught his breath and hoisted himself onto the broom, somewhat ungracefully with the pull of his wet clothes. He looked around the surface for Granger, but could not find her.

He began to panic. He would not be the cause of the Gryffindor Princess's death. No no he would NOT! He would not go to Azkaban for something this simple and pointless. It was an accident, he told himself as he began to search the water somewhat frantically now.

He couldn't hear her thoughts. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit" he chanted to himself, staring into the blue. A sudden ripple in the distance caught his attention as he jolted his broom in that direction. Hermione was being raised out of the water, half basked in moonlight, her wild hair stuck to her face. Her eyes were closed and she was limp.

The sudden appearance of a tentacle, quelled Malfoy's curiosity as to how she was raising out of the water.

She looked peaceful. Her lips were a soft shade of pink that matched her cheeks. The moonlight highlighted the drops of water falling off her face, rolling down her cheek.

Her white oxford uniform shift stuck to her wet body in the right places to leave a boy in normal circumstances dry in the mouth.

These weren't normal circumstances.

Draco was suddenly reminded of a painting he had seen once. Of the Greek Goddess Venus in his muggle studies class. Professor McDouglas had said that Venus was the most desirable and beautiful of Goddesses, Draco, quite frankly couldn't see the beauty in the painting.

Hermione's beauty was striking here.

Another tentacle raised out of the water and tapped Draco on the foot, subtly reminding Draco of the girl being suspended in water.

Draco swunge his leg over to straddle his broom and leaned sideways, slipping a hand under Hermione's neck, and becoming somewhat flustered at the thought of trying to find the back of her knee. The squid complied and lifted the rest of her out of the water.

Once he had a strong grip on her, he placed her gently on his lap, he somewhat clumsily directed the broom towards the shore.

Without his hands to control the broom, Draco found it difficult to manoeuver, however at the sight of a couple of student out for a late night stroll near the lake, Draco made an impulse decision not to get caught rather than fly directly to safety. With his knee's he directed the broom to the top of the Astrology tower. His lack of "knee-flying skills" and the poor quality of the broom got the better of him, as he was thrown - with Hermione in hand- off the broom across the tower roof. They landed with Granger still in his arms, her head on his chest, sprawled across his stomach. Draco was suddenly thankful Granger was knocked out as it was otherwise he would have probably gotten an earful of her thoughts as well as her screams.

He realized suddenly she wasn't thinking. Perhaps she couldn't think if she were knocked out. Or perhaps she couldn't think if she were dead.

Draco sat up, still supporting her head, lying her down gently in front of him, he got up and began inspecting her.

He heard a small hitch in her breath, and a wave of relief passed over him. He inspected her more closely, revealing a few bruises on her arms, he assumed they were most likely on her back and arse as well. His eyes were drawn towards he now heaving chest, her shirt practically see-through revealing a light blue bra underneath. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her chest and had the sudden urge to touch her. Anywhere. He followed his hands motion his gaze falling upon his finger, suddenly stroking her soft skin.

"What...Malfoy?" Hermione said barely above a whisper, slightly disoriented.

Draco realized he WAS touching her. He wasn't even touching her in an inappropriate way, but rubbing her cheek gently with his thumb, in almost a caring manner. Possible consequences of his action dawned on him, and he yanked his hand away as though her face was on fire.

Before he would let her think, he stood up and grabbed his broom.

He began towards the edge of the tower, before flying off he turned and said "I'm glad your not dead Granger, " surprising himself and Hermione, who was left alone on the top of the astronomy tower.


End file.
